People who frequently use VCR's (videocassette recorders) to tape and view prerecorded programs know what a frustrating task it is to keep track of which prerecorded programs are present on a particular videocassette and which portions of the videocassettes are available for recording other programs. It often is very difficult to identify both the length of an unused portion of a videocassette and the location thereof. Therefore it is difficult to find an unused portion (or a used portion which can be recorded over) on which to record a new program of a certain length with confidence that the end of the program being recorded will not "run over" and erase the beginning of another prerecorded program which is intended to be saved. Most people, to the extent that they keep track of programs on videocassettes at all, rely mostly on scribbled notes on labels or separate sheets. A typical VCR owner has had the experience of franticly searching for open videocassette space on which to record a special program. Although there exist some prior "VCR logs", they are oriented to keeping records of programs that are to be recorded and saved indefinitely or for a long period of time. However, these prior VCR logs do not adequately deal with the problem of finding the location of available space for recording new programs. Consequently, VCR users usually find it difficult or impossible to determine whether there exists enough videocassette recording space to record a program of a particular length, and if so, precisely where on the videocassette tape that space (i.e., lengthy video tape) begins.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,396 discloses a "time-remaining gauge" for use with videocassettes, but it provides no identification of the subject matter that is on the tape, and only indicates how much consecutive tape has been used measured from the beginning of the videocassette. This reference does not solve the problem of precisely identifying a part of a videocassette that is available to be reused or identifying what program has been prerecorded on a particular part of a videocassette. U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,711 discloses a "video tape index" that catalogs programs on a videocassette. This index is set up as a form which indicates video cassette numbers for a plurality of cassettes, and indicates six timeslots for videocassettes in which a title and other information pertaining to a program can be entered. The device has an erasable surface. However, this reference does not disclose anything that provides an immediate visual indication of how much useable space of a videocassette is available for recording another program and where that space is located.
Thus, there is augment need for an improved apparatus and method for providing a rapid, visual indication of the amount of available spacer left for recording on a videocassette, where the available space is located, and also indicating the title and other information regarding each program that is presently stored on the videocassette.